Powered apparatus for water travel: sea saddle

ABSTRACT

Powered apparatus for water travel comprising a chest plate, a direct current motor having a propeller on its drive shaft and mounted on the plate, a direct current power source, a switch connected in circuit via a cable with said source and motor and means supporting said source and detachably securing said plate to the chest of a wearer.

United States Patent 1 Laughman POWERED APPARATUS FOR WATER TRAVEL: SEA SADDLE [75] Inventor: Glenn D. Laughman, Spring Grove,

[73 Assignee: The Raymond Lee Organization,

Inc., New York, N.Y.; a part interest 22 Filed: Jan. 6, 1972 211 Appl. No.: 215,825

[52] US. Cl. 115/61, 9/301 [51] Int. Cl .l A631) 31/00 [58] Field ofSearch ..1 15/15.], 34.0, 70;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,442,240 5/1969 Wild l15/6.1

[ 1 July 17, 1973,

2,722,021 11/1955 Keogh-Dwyer 114/16 A Primary Examiner-Milton Buchler Assistant Examiner--S. D. Basinger Attorney-Richard S. Shreve, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT Powered apparatus for water travel comprising a chest plate, a direct current motor having a propeller on its drive shaft and mounted on the plate, a direct current power source, a switch connected in circuit via a cable" with said source and motor and means supporting said source and detachably securing said plate to the chest of a wearer.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures POWERED APPARATUS FOR WATER TRAVEL: SEA SADDLE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION My invention is directed toward powered apparatus which can be detachably mounted to an individual for providing propulsion when the individual is in the water either on the surface or submerged.

My invention includes a harness detachably engageable with the upper portion of the wearers body. A chest plate supported in place by the harness itself supports a direct current motor with a downwardly disposed shaft (i.e., when the wearer is standing upright, the shaft points down). A propeller is secured to the free end of the shaft. A direct current power source is supported by the harness. An on-off switch adapted to be held in the hand of the user is connected by cable in circuit with source and motor.

The user then enters the water and with the propeller submerged turns the motor on whereby the propeller provides propulsive force.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of my invention as worn by a user;

FIG. 2 is a perspective of my invention per se; and

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of my invention in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED/ EMBODIMENTS proof.

The motor is connected via waterproof cable 20 to a direct current waterproof source 22 and to a hand held the plate and source 22; When the user stands upright,

the shaft points downward. The motor is turned on or off to operate or not operate the propellers as required by operating the switch.

When the user lies flat on the surface of the water with the motor submerged, the motor propels the user forward. In order to turn, the user needs only to roll his body in the direction desired. The user can submerge by stretching his arms out and lowering same below the surface. To surface, the arms are again outstretched and pointed upward.

While I have described my invention with particular reference to the drawings, such is not to be considered as limiting its actual scope.

Having thus described this invention, what is asserted as new is:

1. Water propulsion apparatus comprising:

a single integral thin chest plate of an area to contact and cover a large portion of the front of the users pp y;

a harness for said chest plate to be detachably worn by a user and fitting on the upper portion of the y;

a streamlined support mounted on the center of said chest plate; v

a streamlined direct current motor mounted on said streamlined support and thereby spaced away from said chest plate;

said streamlined support having a longitudinal central portion between said motor and plate thinner than the outer portions respectively engagingthe plate and motor;

said motor having a drive shaft essentially parallel to the surface of said chest plate;

said chest plate, support and motor forming a unit free of flotation means;

a propeller secured to said shaft in unconfined flow relation therefrom;

an on-off switch adapted to be held in hand;

a direct current source supported on said harness;

and

cable means connecting said switch, source and motor in circuit. 

1. Water propulsion apparatus comprising: A SINGLE INTEGRAL THIN CHEST PLATE OF AN AREA TO CONTACT AND COVER A LARGE PORTION OF THE FRONT OF THE USERS UPPER BODY; A HARNESS FOR SAID CHEST PLATE TO BE DETACHABLY WORN BY A USER AND FITTING ON THE UPPER PORTION OF THE BODY; A STREAMLINED SUPPORT MOUNTED ON THE CENTER OF SAID CHEST PLATE; A STREAMLINED DIRECT CURRENT MOTOR MOUNTED ON SAID STREAMLINED SUPPORT AND THEREBY SPACED AWAY FROM SAID CHEST PLATE; SAID STREAMLINED SUPPORT HAVING A LONGITUDINAL CENTRAL PORTION BETWEEN SAID MOTOR AND PLATE THINNER THAN THE OUTER PORTIONS RESPECTIVELY ENGAGING THE PLATE AND MOTOR; SAID MOTOR HAVING A DRIVE SHAFT ESSENTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE SURFACE OF SAID CHEST PLATE; SAID CHEST PLATE, SUPPORT AND MOTOR FORMING A UNIT FREE OF FLOTATION MEANS; A PROPELLER SECURED TO SAID SHAFT IN UNCONFINED FLOW RELATION THEREFROM; AN ON-OFF SWITCH ADAPTED TO BE HELD IN HAND; A DIRECT CURRENT SOURCE SUPPORTED ON SAID HARNESS; AND CABLE MEANS CONNECTING SAID SWITCH, SOURCE AND MOTOR IN CIRCUIT. 